Who knew Percy Weasley knew how to comfort a girl?
by 52wbending52
Summary: The social outcast, Francesca Hood, falls to pieces in front of the snobby head-boy Percy Weasley. A short story of one girl's suffering and another person's awkward comforting. All rights to J. K. Rowling.


"Hey Francesca," said Fred Weasley as he put his arm around my shoulder and his twin George pulled me by the waist.

"I'd better if you two took your hands off me."

"Fine." They still walked on either side of me invading my personal bubble. I handled it, for a total of…30 seconds. "Go away! Both of you!"

They turned around and left clearly bored with me today, "What's the girl's problem? She acts like she's better than everyone else."

The other twin's only response was, "'cause she thinks she is, talk about a bitch."

The conversation was spoken in raged whispers. They clearly did not intend for me to hear that, but I did. I did. I was tired of being surrounded by people with biased ideas of who I was. I couldn't hold the tears anymore, so I escaped to the closest girls' bathroom, Moaning Myrtle's.

After stepping into the bathroom I yelled to Myrtle to shut it because I really was not in the mood to be harassed. Or complained to. She didn't care really but complained nonetheless and annoyed me as I blew my nose with tissue paper and washed my face.

I'm Francesca Hood, a girl with a bad reputation. Even as a fifth year people choose to harass me. It started in first year when I accidently dumped my dinner on a fifth year Gryffindor and a sixth year Ravenclaw. It was an accident I swear! I tripped on my too long robes and they yelled the tears out of me, I wasn't sobbing. I was drowning in my tears, balling my eyes out. Those girls spread rumors about me, stealing girls' things and pushing people down staircases and starting _rumors_ about other people. At first, everyone was confused because I'm a quiet and shy girl, but after a while people begin to believe lies. So everyone began to believe I was this horrible, rude, stealing witch. And I'm not. My family has also had a line of cruel and devious people on my father's side, but my mother's side was all Hufflepuff and volunteers. It never helped that Slytherins and Gryffindors share a hatred for me. Slytherins with wands and words, Gryffindors with pranks.

It was long past curfew when I finally had myself together, my face was still pinkish though. I walked out of the bathroom and into a human wall. _Oh great_. It just had to be Head Boy Percy Weasley.

"Ms. Hood! Why are you out of bed? You'll have detention once I'm done with you, you will regret breaking the rules of Hogwarts Wizardry School. This is a long and serious pride in these rules here and _no one _is to break them. Are you aware of how much tr-tr-"

My bursting of tears at first didn't stall him, but as I sat on the cold hallway floor and balled my eyes out he broke off his outrageous rant. He stood stunned with wide eyes at my snotty nose and wet- bright red face with tears cascaded down onto the floor. I had a pool coming from my face held in my hands, rocking back and forth trying to calm myself down.

"Um…uh….um, Ms. Hood? Are…you okay?"

I only wailed louder and sniffled religiously. He searched up and down the halls with his eyes while his body was frozen in time. There was no one else on duty apparently as he swore under his breath, well the closest Percy Weasley could say to a swear 'forks'.

We both stayed awkwardly where we were.

"Um, it's okay. It's okay." He reluctantly patted my shoulder, I was not assured.

After about thirty minutes he actually did something useful. He sat down next to me and rubbed my back; he clearly was uncomfortable with this but did it nonetheless. At this little sliver of comfort I clung to him like a life-line. My tears soaked his newly-wrinkled robes with my face pressed into his shoulder. "Y-you ha-ve a b-b-boney should-er," I mumbled. He smiled lightly still rubbing my back but it became much more comforting, like he started to really mean it. He wanted to comfort the crying lifeless body that belonged to me. It felt wonderful to not be hated. He moved us against the hallway wall so he could lean back and not fall over. I began to run dry of tears and in exchange hyperventilated, panicking Percy Weasley. He clearly was not thinking clearly when he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around my tiny petite frame. "Francesca, calm down. Breathe, relax, breathe." I tried and found that Percy Weasley smells like fabric softener and ink wells. Not sweet, but realistic. I also found out that Percy Weasley had for the first time called me by my first name. Not Ms. Hood, no he called me Francesca.

I looked up at him for the first time, and he had a deep blush painted across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. The blush was growing covering his whole face as I blushed in return. I placed my head back on his chest and breathed raggedly listening to his heart pitter-patter. His breathing vibrated into my ears and I asked him, "Why did you stay?"

"I couldn't leave you crying on the floor. It wouldn't be right."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

A silence filled as I listened silently to his heart-beat.

"Why were you crying Francesca?"

"Same reason as always."

"-You cry like that constantly?!"

Looking up to his blue eyes, I answered, "there is never anyone who cares, so it never made a difference. I haven't cried like tonight since first year."

"Why do you cry?"

"No one cares about me here; they make up stories, and add baggage to my load. It's hard to carry so much hate on your shoulders." I began to cry again, but more controlled.

"There is no way a nice girl, such as you could ever be hated so much."

"You've seen the way I'm treated and yet you never _realized_?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, beggars can't be choosers."

"Don't be a beggar, Francesca."

"Okay, Percy."

My silent tears soaked his red tie and he brushed my dark hair over one shoulder. I needed that.

"Thank you for caring."

His smile said 'you're welcome'.

I realized the position we were in now that I'd stopped crying. I was sprawled on his lap with one leg lazily over his right and my other knee dangerously close to his…crouch. I was holding onto his waist with my head on his chest, his arms were wrapped around me. I carefully got off him, and stood up clumsily. He got up also, dusting off the dirt on his robes. I fixed my skirt that had risen up a bit; fortunately it went to just below the knee when hanging correctly.

"Thank you, Percy." When he was caught off guard with a dusty blush at my thank you, I stood onto my tiptoes and pecked his cheek. It was a _huge_ risk for me, but was paid off when he let out an unmanly giggle and a blush competing his hair colour in a massive duel. Then I went to pick up my bag and go to bed when he grasped my wrist. I was shocked and blinked at him with a slightly opened mouth.

"Francesca, will you go to Hogsmeade with me next week?"

"I'd love to, Percy. Thank you."

He then pulled me into a kiss that finished as quickly as it started. I stared at him and let out a giggle and unattractive smile.

"See you then?"

I nodded and walked in the opposite direction of him clutching my bag in happiness. When I met the turn of the hallway I called out to him. "Percy!"

He turned around quickly with an embarrassing but adorable blush.

"Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Francesca," he whispered.

"Mum, this is Francesca Hood."

"_She's_ the girl you brought home for holiday?!" Cut in Fred and George whacked Percy upside the head.

"Ow! George! Yes, I brought home Francesca."

"Boys! Stop it! Very happy to meet you, Francesca. I'm Molly Weasley." She gave me a warming smile before announcing that they needed to find Ron, Harry, and Ginny.

"Think she'll like me?" I asked my boyfriend, Percy.

"Of course."

He was right.


End file.
